Excavating bucket



Aug. 4, 1931. l.. s. WALLACE EXCAVATING BUCKET 3 Sheets--SheeiI l Filed Aug. 1. 1929 m M m V @A Ww a.

Aug.l4, 1931. L. s. WALLACE vExcAvATNcf uoxm Filed Angl 1. 1929- INI/f' /V 7' Ofi Wallace ATT O RN EYS L. s. WALLACE EXCAVTING BUCKET Q'Aug. 4, 1931.

Filed A ug. v1. 19.29 5 Sheets--Shee't 3 v1/wrak 21. 5. Wallace l l l l i ATTORNEY l Ill Patented Aug. 4, f 1931 :PTN T1 :FF-ica;

ALEE sYLVEsTER WALLACE; or Hom,- ALABAMA EXCAVATING Application med August 1,-1929. sex-mine. 382,715.

i bucket 'all under control of a single power line. y y

Vith these and further objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in Apart be stated, the invention comprises rel- 0 atively pivoted clam-shell buckets land means for sustaining and releasing said buckets in and from a closed position controlled by manipulations of the power or bucket sustaining line.

The invention also comprises a frame, vertically tandem independent slides shiiit'ably carried thereby, bucket s'h'e'lls'pi'voted to the trame and connected 'to be sustained in a closed position by one of the slides, and means Si) carried by the other vother slide lforcon'trolling movement of the -first slide incident to manipulations ofthe supporting or power line forthe bucket.

The invention further comprisesA other novel constructions, combinations, and ar,-

raugements of .parts as will be subsequently specified and claimed. u

In the accompanying drawings,-1 Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of appara- 4*", tus embodying'the features of the present invention. y

Figure 2 is an enlarged, detailed, vertical section' through portions ot the parts seen in Figur-e l, parts being broken away for the l5 saving olv space, and parts being seen in elevation, the portions included being'those encompassed within the dash lines 2 2 of Figure l. y Y n Figure 3 is a iniew similar to Figure2 with "'i the bucket illustrated in the open position,

"the parts shown being'fthose encompassed in the-dot and dash line 3 3 of Figure v1.

Figure 4 is al sectional plan taken on the plane indicated by line lf-4 of Figure 3,v and looking downward.

Figure 5 is a vertical vsection taken onthe plane indicated by lineof Figure 2. Figure 6 is a plan view of the lower slide -or cross head detached.

To facilitate a detailed understanding o1 the lspecific features of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a, general description may be helpful preceding discussion ofdetails with refe-rence to the accompanying drawings. To this end, 'it is obviously desirable to-reduce the number 'of parts oit a crane, steam shovel, or excavating or load transferring apparatus so far as the same canbe done while improving ediciency and without loss of capacity. It is the ob-- ject of thev present invention to reduce the number of lines extending to a clam-shell bucket to a single jcable, andto provide apthat cable makes possible manipulation of the bucketwith thoroughly efficient yand acceptable results. The outer end of the cable is dead or fixed to an outer portion ot the crane or boom. The cable is extended thence down and about a pulley upward-and about a'second pulley, and down and about a third pulley,.and then upward to the crane or boom 'and' abouta Vpulley and back to the power drum aboutwhich it is wrapped. The second pulley vmentioned is an idler and ther lil-st and third pulleys mentioned yserve to provide tbecontrol for themanipulations ofthe clamshell. The second pulley mentionedis journaled in a trarne while the first and third ynilleys are ljournaled in a slide .carried by the frame. A- second slide is carried by the frame and movable with `respect to the first slide. The two shells of the clam-shell bucket are pivoted to the said frame and also pivoted to the second-mentioned slide in a man- ,ner Vto be opened when the second-mentioned slide lowered and to,y be closed when the second-mentioned slide 1s raised. A pair of hookshaped dogs upst-and from the secondmentioned slide and are spring-pressed in position to cam past and snap to an overhanging position with respect to stub shafts actuated by the first and third above-mentioned pulleys in position for one of the dogs to engage one of said shafts to sustain the secondmentioned slide in an elevated position with the clam-shell closed, and the other dog to engage the other shaft at an appropriate time also to sustain the second slide in the elevated position. One of said dogs upstands a little higher than the other, so that, when the latter' is in engagement with its corresponding shaft, the former will be above its shaft. The first-mentioned pulley is constructed to be rotated when the operating cable is slacked away in a direction to cause its corresponding shaft to turn in a manner to throw off the engaging dog, which allows the second slide to drop sufficiently for causing the second dog to engage its corresponding shaft, and then, when the power cable is taken up in a manner to lift the clamshell, the third pulley rotates in a direction to force its dog out of engagement with its shaft, which releases the second slide and leaves it free to drop by gravity to the open position of the clam-shell bucket. lVhen the )arts are in this last position, the clam-shell,

provide means to enable the upper slide to lift the lower slide under the lifting action of the power cable and thereby, by virtue of the pivotal connection of the clam-shell to the lower slide, to close the clam-shell. The parts will remain thus closed until the power line is again slacked away for releasing the first dog, and then reeved infor releasing the second dog.

These operations may be accomplished by apparat-us susceptible of a wide range of modification of details, as will be readily recognized, and it should be understood that the specific illustration in the accompanying drawings is but the preferred embodiment of the present invention and various other embodiments may be constructed effectively incorporatingr the invention.

Referringr to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates the super-structure or frame having the hooding or cover sheets 2 enclosing the operating parts. The said frame also carries the vertically disposed parallel slide bars 3, 3, slidingly engaged by an upper cross head or slide 4 and a lower cross head or slide 5. The cross head 4 comprises the slides 6, 6, connected by spaced plates 7, 7. An axle 8 extends through the two plates 7 and is preferably journaled therein. Arranged within the space between plates 7 are a pulley wheel 9 and a pulley wheel 10, each 12 abuts against wheel 10, andthe stub shaftsl 11 and 12 are of sufficient length to have their inner ends abut. Shaft 11 carries a ratchet wheel 13, and shaft 12 carries a. similar ratchet wheel 14 facing in the opposite direction from ratchet 13. A pawl 15 pressed by a spring 16 is provided for each of the ratchets 13 and 14 and engages its respective ratchet, the pawl engaging ratchet 11 being` pivotally carried by wheel 9 while the pawl engaging ratchet 14 is pivotally carried by the wheel 10. Thus, when wheel 9 is rotated in one direction, its pawl will click over the ratchet 13, but, when the wheel is rotated in thev opposite direction, the stub shaft 11 rotates with it and likewise, when wheel 10 is rotated in one direction, its pawl clicks over ratchet 14, but when wheel 10 is rotated in the other direction, stub shaft 12 rotates with it. Each stub shaft or sleeve 11 and 12 has a smooth portion inward of its respective ratchet, as clearly seen in Figures 4 and 5.

Pivoted by links 17, 17 to the frame 1 arey the shells 18 ofthe clam-shell bucket, cach of which shells is provided with upstanding ears or arms 19, 19 preferably arranged to converge, as best seen in Figure 5. At their upper ends, the arms 19 pivotally engage, at 20, 20, the lower cross head or slide 5. Slide 5 is similar in construction yto slide 4, having the spaced side plates to which the pivots 2O are connected and between which, above pivots 20, are located. pivoted dogs 21 and 22, both of said dogs being preferably pivoted at 23 to the lower portion of the sideplates of slide 5 and upstanding from their pivots. Springs 24 are providedto stress the dogs 21 and 22 toward each other, and each dog is provided with a nose 25 to prevent the respective spring 24. from pressing the dog beyond a substantially upright or vertical position. Each dog consists of a bar terminating in a converging or pointed tip 26 adapted for wedging purposes hereinafter mentioned, each bar being widened or thickened at its upper portion which tapers to form the point 26, and just below the thickened. portion each dog is formed into an open hook 27 proportioned attimes to rest upon the smooth portions of the respective sleeves 11 and 12 to support parts beneath, as will be hereinafter set forth. Springs 24 are preferably guided by appropriate rods or plungers 28 pivoted to the respective dogs 21 and 22 and extendingat their outer end portions through lugs or otherV appropriate parts 29 carried by slide 5 and against which the respective springs 24 abut. The dogs 21 and 22, as best seen in Figure 4, are proportioned and located to lpart thereof, and preferably disposed obmove readily between the wheels '9 and 10 for engaging the smooth portions `of sleeves 11 and 12. Dog 21 hasits hook 27 located slightly below-the hook 27 of dog 22, so'that in operation, when dog 21 is :moved out of lengagement with sleeve or stub'sha'ft 111, dog l22 will drop into engagement withthe smooth portion of sleeve 12 and continue to afford a support for'the parts beneath.

Journ aled within the Casin g 2 lit-'the upper liquely is an idler pulley wheel 30 located labove the pulley wheels 9 and 10 and arranged at such an angle as to direct a cabley ascending from one of pulleys 9 and 10 -to a -proper location for lacing about the other. Eachof pulleys 9, 10 `:and 30 yis grooved to receive-an operating cable, and an operating cable 31 yis vprovided with an upwardly extending lap 32 which may be referred to a dead end because it is fixed to the :boom of the excavating device or crane. Starting with the dead end 232 the cable Slis passed down and-about .pulley 9, upwardly over pulley 30 land-down and vabout pulley 10, and thence un to the boom ,pulley and downto the winding drinn, not illustrated..

ln operation, the'parts being lin the position seen in full lines ,in Figure 1,`to ropen the clam-shell bucket, it is necessary lto lower the bucket by slacking away'on cable 31, which causes pulley 10 to revolve in afdirection causing its ratchet to turn sleeve 12 ink a direction to back off dog 21, which allows .the cross head or slide 5 and parts carried thereby Vto .drop suiliciently for causing dog 22 to engage sleeve 1 1. The Voperator then takes upthe cable 31' starting an elevating movement of the bucket apparatus, which causes areverse revolution of pulley `9 from the former movement thereof, effecting movement of the sleeve 11 in a direction for backing off pawl 22, which allows lthe cross headv 5 to drop .and thereby allows the shells yor sections of the clam-shell bucket to swingby gravity. to the-open position shown in dotted tion,'the operator may slack away on cable 31 to`lower the whole bucket apparatus until the edges of the bucket sectionsengage the y load to be picked up whenthe interruption of 'the downward movement of the bucket shells or sections will allow the cross head 4 to descend by gravity toward-the crosshead aand this downward movement causes the stub shafts 11A and 1.2 to strike theicamming surfaces of dogs .22 and 21 forcing thek same back against the pressure of springs 24 until the shafts have passed down intoline with the space below the hooks 27, whenI the dogs will sgring` back to a closed or upright posi- Ation over the stub shafts.- Then, when the operator hauls in again on the .-cable31, the rotation vof .pulley 1Q listin a; direction ycausing 'the respective '.pavvl 15-to click over' its without :releasing thefdog 21. The neXt lowering away. movement by slacking Vcable v 31 will 'release dog 21 and thennext upward movement by reeving in cable-31 will release dog 22 and allow the bucket yto open.

c 'll-'he `limit `of upward movement "of slide 4 imay ibe established by any 'appropriate stop, 'such as parts '33 forming rigid'parts of the frame and housing 1 and 2, and appropriately `located :at ythe upper portion of fthe' supportino' frame.

Ity will -be observed Ithatefiective mani-pu- Y flations may be accomplished by the use of a` single dog, one dog being omitted, and the `retained dog located to lrelease upon a descending movement only of the load-carrying bucket and its super-structure. The Leffect of the provision ofa single dogcanbe provided by fastening the dog 22 in a detached position, that is, backed yolf against the-pressure of spring 24 and `held far enough away from cooperating parts 'to pireup by the bucket, dropping the slide 4 down upon slide -5 to a position where dog 21 engages its sup-porting st-ubshaft or sleeve, and

then elevating the parts by reeving incable 31. l The* clam-shell will `be drawn to the yclosed position bythe ascent of the slides 4 and 5 and held closed as flong as upward movement is imparted, because. upward movement producessuch rotation-as not to a cause the supporting stub shaft to kick dog L2l off. The parts may be swung about or otherwise shifted by movements of the boom or other carrying, means tothe position Afor discharge, and then, when the cable Slis ya slacked away, the descending movement will cause the dog 21 to be kicked off or tripped and the clam-shell to open. Y

It should further be observed that while a boom has been referred to, a travellin'gcrane or any other'y appropriate'supporting and shifting means is intended to be included, sincevthe present invention is applica-bleto clam-shell buckets without reference to the .be connected Iand by which it maybe shifted.

What is claimed is: Y 1. In single line excavating apparatus of the class described, the combination witha.

load 'carrier and a load-carrying cable there- L particular carrier with which. the same may 12a for to raise and lower said load carrier, said cable being arranged in a single live lap for suspending the said load carrier by the bight and having one end dead-ended, of trip means adapted to be tripped by said load-carrying cable to discharge the load carrier, said means being so arranged that the load carrier is free to be raised and lowered to any desired height before tripping the same by the said cable.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with movable load-carrying parts adapted to be moved to and from a load-carrying condition, of a dog pivotally connected to said load-carrying parts and adapted to sustain the same in load-carrying condition, a cable for lifting said load-carrying parts, a shaft adapted to be engaged by the dog for sustaining the same in load-carrying condition, and means actuated by the cable for rotating said shaft to a position releasing said dog.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with movable load-carrying parts, adapted to be moved to and from a load-carrying condition, of a dog pivotally connected to said load-carrying parts and adapted to sustain the same in load-carrying condition, a cable for lifting said load-carrying' parts, a shaft adapted to be engaged by the dog for sustaining the same in load-Carrying condition, means actuated by the cable for rotating said shaft to a position releasing said dog, a second dog also pivoted to sustain the load-carrying parts in load-carrying condition, a second shaft located to be engaged by the second dog and to sustain the same in load-carrying condition, and cable actuated means for moving said shaft for shifting the second dog out of supporting relation thereto.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination, with movable load-carrying parts, adapted to be moved to and from a load-carrying condition, of a dog pivotally connected to said load-carrying parts and adapted to sustain the same in load-carrying condition, a cable for lifting said load-carrying parts, a shaft adapted to be engaged by the dog for sustaining the same in load-carrying condition, means actuated by the cable for rotating said shaft to a position releasing said dog, a second dog also pivoted to sustain the load-carrying parts iny load-carrying condition, a second shaft located to be engaged by the second dog and to sustain the same in load-carrying condition, and lcable actuated means for moving said shaft for shifting the second dog out of supporting relation thereto, the second-mentioned dog being dimensioned and located to' engage its supporting shaft when by the first dog.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, slides mounted therein to slide vertically, a clam-shell pivoted to the lower slide, a dog pivoted to the lower slide, means carried by the upper slide the load is released for sustaining the dog and lower slide in an elevated position with the clam-shell closed, and cable actuated means for releasing the engagement of the dog for allowing descent gaged by the cable and a ratchet shifted with one directional movement of the pulley for effecting release movement of said dog.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a frame, slides mounted therein to slide vertically, a clam-shell pivoted to the lower slide, a dog pivoted to the i lower slide, means carried by the upper slide for sustaining vthe dog and lower slide in an elevated position with the clam-shell closed, and cable actuated means for releasing the engagement of the dog for allowing descent of the lower slide and opening the clamshell, said releasing means including a pulley engaged by the cable, a ratchet wheel adjacent the pulley, a. pawl carried by the pulley to actuate the ratchet wheel, and a shaft actuated by the ratchet wheel and located to be engaged by and sustain the dog when not actuated by the ratchet wheel.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination Vof a frame, slides mounted therein to slide vertically, a clam-shell pivoted to the lower slide, a dog pivoted to the lower slide, means carried by the upper slide for sustaining the dog and lower slide in an elevated position with the clam-shell closed,

and cable actuated means for releasing the engagement of the dog for allowing descent of the lower slide and opening the clam-shell, said releasing means including a pulley engaged by the cable, a ratchet wheel adjacent the pulley, a pawl carried by the pulley to actuate the ratchet wheel, and a shaft actuated by the ratchet wheel and located to be engaged by and sustain the dog when not actuated by the ratchet wheel, said pulley, ratchet wheel, and shaft being carried by the upper slide and the dog having a camming surface and being spring-pressed for enabling the shaft to move past the dog to supporting relation therewith upon descent of lli) the upper slide relative tothe lower slide. 10. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination, with a load carrier, a supporting :trame therefor, and a cable fory raising and lowering said carrier and frame of independent slides carried by the frame, means connecting -one of the slides to the load, means for detachably connecting the two slides together to sustain the load carrier in load-carrying position, and means for detaching the said slides while the load carrier is in suspension, said means being operable by said cable.

11. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination, with a load carrier, and a 13. In excavating apparatus of the class described, a clam-shell bucket, a hoist cable to raise ,and lower said bucket, and tripping mechanism cooperating with the bucket and operable by the cable to discharge the bucket incident to raising movement of the cable, f

said tripping mechanism being so arranged as to effect tripping of the bucket at any desired elevation of the latter.

14. In excavating apparatus ofthe class described, a claim-shell bucket, mechanism for opening land closing the bucket, and a hoist cable cooperating with said mechanism for actuating the same and raising and lowering the bucket, said mechanism being operable to close the bucket upon initial hoisting of the cable and further operable during suspension of the saidbucket by subsequent lowering and hoisting movements to discharge the bucket.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LEE SYLVESTER WALLACE. 

